Chapter 458: Joy
Wu Sheng’s opinion of Bai Xinyue had already hit rock bottom.
Bai Xinyue had previously been vague about her role in the incident, glossing over her mistakes. This was the first time Su Li was hearing the real story.
"So that’s what happened."
Wu Sheng rested his head on Su Li’s shoulder. "That’s what happened."
His voice sounded a little weak.
Su Li quickly looked over at Wu Sheng. "Wu Sheng, are you tired?"
Wu Sheng grunted an affirmation. "A little. I feel so weak."
He had heard someone cursing Su Li the moment he woke up. Back then, even if he only had a single breath left, he could have found the energy to fight. But after that initial rush, he felt the strength slowly draining from his body.
"You were so badly injured and you’ve been in bed for days. Of course you’re weak. Come on, lie back down."
Hearing this, Su Li turned to help Wu Sheng lie back down.
But Wu Sheng shook his head. "Not yet. Just let me lean on you and talk for a bit."
’He missed Su Li. It was different for her; she had been watching over him for ten days. But for him, this was the first time he’d seen her after all this time.’
"Su Li, you’ve gotten thinner again."
Wu Sheng nudged her with his chin. "These shoulders are all bone. Your face has gotten thinner, too."
"That tickles." The long beard Wu Sheng had grown was long gone. It was being shaved every two or three days, but he’d missed today, so a short stubble had appeared. As Wu Sheng shifted, it tickled Su Li’s skin.
She tried to pull away while simultaneously reaching out to adjust her position, wanting to help him lean more comfortably.
When Wu Sheng heard her say it tickled, he let out a low chuckle and moved again.
"I told you before I was going to prickle you with my beard. Now’s the perfect chance."
"You’re really something else..." Su Li couldn’t help but laugh.
But as she laughed, it finally felt real.
The reality that Wu Sheng was truly awake.
From the moment he woke up until now, Su Li had felt as if she were floating, overjoyed but ungrounded. Only now did it finally feel real.
She took Wu Sheng’s hand. "Let me get you some water. Then I’ll call the doctor to come check on you. I also need to call your mother. We’ve just been so happy talking since you woke up, I need to hurry and let them all know."
Wu Sheng nodded. "Yeah. Mom must have been terrified, huh?"
Su Li nodded. "Yes. She just left a little while ago."
Wu Sheng did as Su Li said, drinking some water to soothe his throat before obediently lying back down.
When the doctor arrived, he examined Wu Sheng and nodded repeatedly.
"Excellent. The important thing is that he’s awake. He’s recovering very well. He’ll be a bit weak for the first couple of days, but he’ll be fine after that."
"As for food, he should have some porridge today. For the next couple of days, stick to light, easily digestible foods, and then he can resume a normal diet."
Su Li nodded repeatedly. "Okay, I understand."
"Just be careful not to touch the wound or have him exert himself too much. That will help him heal faster."
Hearing the doctor’s words, Su Li immediately thought about how Wu Sheng had suddenly sat up, and how she had hugged him while crying. She had subconsciously avoided his wound, but it must have still affected it.
Her face flushed with shame. "Okay, Doctor. I’ll be sure to remember."
"Alright. Just focus on resting. Let me know if you need anything."
The doctor left, beaming. He was happy, too, that his patient, Wu Sheng, had finally woken up.
"Wu Sheng, you rest for a bit. I’m going to call your mother and the others, and then I’ll go buy some porridge."
Wu Sheng nodded. "Okay, go ahead."
Then he asked, "By the way, is Little Hei okay? I’ve been meaning to ask."
Su Li froze. After a moment of silence, she shook her head. "Not so good. He’s still in a coma."
Wu Sheng let out a low hum. In his heart, he had already braced himself for it.
"I’ll go see him in a while."
’Wu Sheng felt a pang in his heart. He remembered Little Hei telling him, his face full of admiration and hope, that he wanted to be just like him when he grew up. And now, in the blink of an eye... ’
Su Li nodded. "Okay, we’ll go see him in a bit."
Su Li borrowed the hospital phone and made her first call to Wu Qihua to tell her that Wu Sheng was awake.
Wu Qihua had just gotten to her office when the phone rang. When she answered and heard that Wu Sheng was awake, she instantly burst into tears of joy.
"Good, as long as he’s awake... that’s all that matters. I’m coming back. I’m coming back right now..."
After Wu Qihua finished crying, she must have relaxed, because her words turned into scolding.
"That damn kid is going to be the death of me! Just wait until I get back, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind."
Su Li laughed. "Yes, I’m with you, Auntie."
Wu Qihua laughed through her tears. "Alright, we’ll give him a piece of our minds together. Wait for me, I’ll be back soon."
"Okay." Su Li added, "Auntie, Wu Sheng is awake now, so don’t rush. Take your time getting back."
Wu Qihua laughed. "I know, I know."
Besides Wu Qihua, she also had to call Wa Wa Lian and the others. They had all been waiting for news about Wu Sheng.
Su Li only had to make one call for that group; once one of them knew, they would spread the word.
Finally, Su Li called Tang Yuanxiao’s school and left a message for him that Wu Sheng was awake.
After notifying everyone, Su Li went out again and bought a bowl of porridge. ’I have to be the one to cook dinner tonight,’ she thought.
’Wu Sheng loves my cooking.’
Just as Wu Sheng finished eating, Wu Qihua, Wa Wa Lian, and the others descended on the hospital, and the room instantly became incredibly lively.
After so many days of suppressed anxiety, everyone could finally, truly relax.
For the rest of the afternoon, Wu Sheng’s room was never empty. Once word got out that he was awake, a steady stream of visitors poured in.
The afternoon passed in a flurry of visitors. At five o’clock, Su Li decided to head out.
"I’m going to pick up Little Mo, and I’ll make some porridge and dinner while I’m at it."
"Won’t you be too tired?" Wu Qihua asked, looking hesitant.
’These past few days, Su Li had been attending classes and then rushing here to watch over Wu Sheng, even taking turns with me on the night shift. How could she have gotten any proper rest in the hospital? Now that Wu Sheng was awake, she should be relaxing, but instead she wants to go cook...’
’She knew Wu Sheng would eat more and with greater relish if Su Li cooked for him, which would help him recover faster, but she still felt so bad for the girl.’
Su Li, of course, knew what Wu Qihua was thinking. "It’s alright, Auntie. I’m not tired at all right now."
’Mental exhaustion was far worse than physical fatigue. Now that Wu Sheng was awake, she felt like she was brimming with energy.’
Su Li went home, bought some groceries, and after setting the porridge to simmer, she went to pick up Little Tang Mo.
They had talked about finding a nanny to look after Little Tang Mo, and they had managed to find a suitable person. For the past two days, the nanny had been taking care of him.
But today, Su Li could pick him up herself.
When Little Tang Mo saw Su Li after school, he was absolutely thrilled. His usually cool and reserved expression immediately broke into a wide smile, and his leisurely pace turned into a full-on sprint.
"Mommy, how come you’re here?"
"Your Uncle Wu is awake," Su Li shared the good news with Little Tang Mo.
"That’s great!" Little Tang Mo exclaimed, giving a rare, high jump for joy.
After a busy trip, they returned to the hospital room, which was once again filled with happy chatter and laughter.
After dinner, Su Li helped Wu Sheng go see Little Hei.
Little Hei was still in a coma, showing no signs of waking.
Seeing Wu Sheng, Little Hei’s parents were overcome with a complex mix of surprise, gratitude, and guilt. Little Hei’s mother’s gratitude was so immense that if Su Li hadn’t held her back, she would have fallen to her knees.